With winter weather just around the corner, the Leland Township Board unanimously approved an agreement with the Leelanau Historical Society to re-roof the museum building and Munnecke Room .

Supervisor Harry Larkin and clerk Jane Keen worked with the historical society's board of trustees Tuesday on how to proceed with repair of the building’s roof. Earlier this year, the society sought bids for repairing the roof over the Leelanau Historical Museum building, which is attached to the Leland Township Library via the Munnecke Room.

Larkin said the recent rainy weather shows there is a need for immediate action, and pointed out water damage in the hallway connecting the library and Munnecke Room.

The low bid of $47,193 came from Easling Construction, which was accepted by the society. The high bid was $69,000.

An existing lease agreement between the township and the historical society states the township must cover 37 percent of the cost of any such repair, based on the fact that the Munnecke Room represents 37 percent of the 7,300-square-feet museum building.

However, the township doesn’t have $17,390 (37 percent of the total cost) in its contingency fund, though township treasurer Mike Kirt said there is about $13,000 available. The board approved a motion by Keen, supported by trustee Steve Plamondon, to enter into an agreement with the historical society to pay $17,390 of the total cost, with half of the township’s share to be paid in the 2007-08 fiscal year.

Larkin said the historical society’s board offered to allow the township to pay its final share of the cost after April 1, the start of the 2008 fiscal year. Board members said they wanted to pay at least some of the cost this year.

Keen said the township should also put together a new lease agreement with the society that more clearly spells out each group’s responsibilities for maintenance and repair. She said it was her personal opinion that although the Munnecke Room is part of the museum, the main user of the room is the township.

In other business, the board:

• Unanimously approved a recommendation from the township Harbor Commission to submit a new plan to the Detroit Office of the Army Corps of Engineers and the state Department of Natural Resources for revitalizing the harbor. The original plan submitted and approved by the Army Corps and State Waterways Commission two years ago called for increasing the number of boat slips in the harbor from 47 to 100. When the first plan was submitted last year, the Army Corps rescinded its original approval because Corps officials felt new boat slips went too far into the existing 3-acre federal anchorage located on the inside of the harbor’s outer breakwall.

The new plan would reduce the intrusion into the federal anchorage from over 100 feet to about 25 feet. The total number of boat slips would be reduced to 68.

Larkin said the overall project cost remains at $3 million and includes needed upgrades in electrical and sewer service, as well as an additional boat launch ramp, new shower and restroom facilities for marina users, as well as a new marina office building. If Corps and state officials approve the new plan this fall or winter, the township would be able to proceed starting in early September 2008.

• Unanimously approved reappointing Ken Nash to the township Zoning Board of Appeals for a three-year term, which expires in August 2010. The board also unanimously approved the appointment of Wilbert Heinzmann to the board of appeals, also a three-year term.

The board unanimously appointed Bernard “Rink” Wheeler to a three-year term to fill out the township parks and recreation commission. The township board had expanded the parks commission to nine members earlier this year, but had not found a ninth person to fill the final seat.

• Amended the township planning commission budget by $7,436 to pay for a contract planner to assist the commission in revising the township Zoning Ordinance. Commission chairman Keith Ashley said the commission’s overall budget won’t change with the amendment, but moves money from the contingency fund to the contract labor fund portion of the budget.

• Unanimously approved a request from George M. Grosvenor Sr., through his attorney, Larry Nelson, to sell two lots he owns in the Beechwood Cemetery back to the township, then sell those lots to two of Grosvenor's nieces, Justine Scott and Christine Anderson.